The Audi A5 DTM Selection is a race-inspired road car

The Audi A5 is the German brand’s return to the executive two-door segment since it stopped producing the 80-series coupe in 1996, and it isn’t exactly considered a sporty offering. Comfortable and luxurious are the best ways to describe this stylish model.

But with Audi being a dominant player in the German Touring Car Championship, or DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters), it is but natural that its production models get a taste of some of that motorsport pedigree. And one of the latest recipients of this treatment is the A5, in the guise of the A5 DTM Selection special edition.

The limited-edition A5 is set apart with a slew of exterior and interior bits. Onlookers viewing the car from the front will immediately see the revised apron with larger air intakes and a rhombus-pattern grille design. The high-gloss black touches on the front, side and rear diffusers give the car a meaner appearance. The five-spoke wheels wrapped in 265/30 R20 tires go nicely with the Misano Red paint the car is finished in. And as if the variant isn’t racy enough, the hood, the doors and the trunk are painted with DTM, Quattro and Audi Sport logos to give it that racing connection.

The cabin, meanwhile, features the same bucket seats found on the RS model. The look is further enhanced by red stitching on various bits of the interior. Further branding initiatives include rear privacy glass and door sills that display the Audi Sport logo, and puddle lamps proudly projecting the DTM lettering onto the pavement when the door is opened.

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While you expect this racing-inspired model to get a high-performance lump, you will be surprised to know that it has a turbocharged diesel. But this isn’t a smoky oil-burner like the jeepney you raced on your way home. This is a 3.0-liter TDI motor that packs 245hp and a lofty 580Nm. Thanks to the seven-speed S-tronic transmission, power sent to the Quattro all-wheel drive system allows the car to sprint from 0 to 100kph in just 5.9 seconds, before going all the way to 250kph. Since this is diesel, quick acceleration hasn’t hampered fuel economy, as the A5 DTM consumes just 15.8km/L of fuel on average.

The new A5 DTM Selection follows a distinguished lineage of DTM special-edition models built by Audi for the road. The car, which is the third in the line, comes after the A4 DTM that came out in 2005, and the A5 Coupe in 2013. If you’re looking to get one of these, you'd better reserve one now as Audi will only be building a total of 50 units.